CNA: Hurricane Ida: Catholics Mobilize to Help Communities in Need

Editor’s Note: CNA contributed to this report, September 3, 2021

At least one Catholic church near New Orleans opened its doors to serve as an emergency shelter amid widespread power outages, wind damage and flooding caused by Hurricane Ida.

St. Francis Xavier Church in Metairie, the city adjoining New Orleans to the west, served as an emergency overnight shelter, despite having lost electricity, for 34 residents of the seven-story Metairie Towers apartment building across the street, Peter Finney, editor of the Clarion-Herald, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, told the Register.

“Metairie Towers lost its roof. And so, water obviously started peeling into the building. The fire chief came over to see Father Joe Palermo [St. Francis’ pastor] and said, ‘Can you take these people? Just get them out of harm’s way.’ He said, of course, and he opened up the church,” he said, adding that the residents, mostly elderly, were now safely housed with family. …

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